The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-06
sit may be. 1 think their late hours

sit may be. 1 think their late hours
point in that direction"
And with comfortable sense of being
morally far above his neighbors, Peter
lay down and slept the sleep OF the con-
sciously upright man.
Meantime the two luckless women on
the doorstep had been fortunate enough
to see policemen in the distance, and
waiting till he was near, the tallest one
said: "Won't you be kind enough to
make the inmates here open the door?
We were careless enough to forget the
latch key, and the new servant did not
recognize u.s."
"Are ye sure tits the roight door?"
guessed the astute policeman. "Fwhat's
the number av yer own?"
"Two hundred and eighteen" was the
prompt answer.
Patsey flashed his bul's-eye on the door,
"Ah, thin, thought that was the way iv
it; tbs next door ye are; an why would
they be for lettin' ye in when ye worrn't
there?"
"OhP' And little hysterical laugh fol-
lowed. Then with much slipping and
scrambling, the two thoroughly wet wo-
men went down one set of steps and up,
another, slid dollar into the willing
palm OF the city guardian, and ringing
their own bell, were soon inside their
own door.
The next afternoon Peter encountered
in the reading room of his special society
a prominent temperance man, who was
thoroughly at work for the cauee, knew
all about it's organizations, and "ran" it's
mass meetings.
In the course of conversation Peter re-
marked to Mr.. Blair that it was very sad
to find out how drunkenness was spread
ing among women. "Only last night, sir,"
he went on, with the slight pomposity of
man who knows of what he speaks and
is qualified therefore to instruct his hear
er-"yes, only last night I was aroused
by frantic peals at my door bell, loud
cries and knockings, and when I hur-
ried down and opened the door, there
stood two quite respectable females. I
caught glimpse Of velvetldress, sir, on
one, and I think the other was clothed in
satin-yes, sir, should say yeller SATIN
-(Oh, Peter, it was old goldD; "but their
hair was struggled all out, and their
faces were red. They was manifestly in.
ebriated-yes, sir, they was indeed"
"Dear me! dear mel And what did you
do with themP" inquired good Mr.. Blair,
"Let them alone sir. Yes, sir, let them
severely alone. There's policeman has
a midnight beat on our street. I ruthsr
think he raked 'em in.
"By the way, Mr. Patterson, our mass
meeting to night is put of. just went
up to - street to see Mrs. johnson
Park in answer to telegram she sent me
and found her seriously ill-quite unable
to speak to night. She is threatened with
rheumatic fever; and Miss Nary has a
hoarse cold"
'Ohl hoped 1 should hear them to-
night said Peter in tone of disappoint-
ment.
"No one will. You see, the meeting last
evening closed very late, and the night
was 80 rainy the driver Of their carriage
made mistake and stopped at the wrong
door-the next house. They did not
know it, and made fruitless efforts to get
in, standing in the cold rain, till they
were wet through, before a policeman
passed and pointed out their mistake. /
am afraid they will both be seriously ill.,
A terrible idea started into Peters
head. Did you say they live on =
street?' he gasped. "What NUMBER
Two hundred and eighteen" :
"O-hr' groaned Peter.
He had called the women he worship
ed afar off, the great lights of the M. N.
o. P. O., drunken wretches" to their
faces.
Poor Peter DECENTRALIZATION TraU-
eler.